Single-trigger mechanism for double-barrel guns.



No. 778,629. PATENTED DEC. 27, 1904.

. J. 0. BROYLES.- SINGLE TRIGGER MECHANISM FOR DOUBLE BARREL GUNS.

APPLICATION FILED DEC.1B, 1903.

SSHEETS-SHEET 1.

W/ TNESSES:

MW M

A TTOHNfYS PATENTED DEG. 27, 1904.

J. G. BROYLBS. I SINGLE TRIGGER MECHANISM FOR DOUBLE BARREL GUNS.

APPLICATION FILED DEO.1B, 1908.

s SHEE HEET 2. i

. 2 RN W NI WITNESSES.

ATTORNEYS PATENTED DEC. 27, 1904.

J. G. BROYLES. SINGLE TRIGGER MECHANISM FOR DOUBLE BARREL GUNS.

APPLIGATION FILED DEC. 18, 1903.

3 BHEETH-SHEET 3.

WITNESS-E8:

A TTOHNE rs UNTTED STATES Patented December 27, 1904.

PATENT @EEICE.

SINGLE-TRIGGER MECHANISM FOR DOUBLE-BARREL GUNS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 778,629 dated December 27, 1904.

Anplication filed December 18, 1903. Serial No. 185,768.

To (LZZ whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, J AMES CAIN BROYLES, a citizen of the United States, residing at Birmingham, in the county of J efierson and State of Alabama, have made certain new and useful Improvements in Single-Trigger Mechanism for Double-Barrel Guns, of which the follow ing is a specification.

My invention relates to looks for doublebarrel guns, and particularly to that class wherein a single trigger controls and operates both hammers. The trigger is so arranged that by sliding forward or back it is adapted to come in contact with the respective sears of the two hammers. Thus either barrel may be fired at will, according to the position in which the trigger is set, or the barrels may be fired successively without such shifting of the trigger.

The details of construction, arrangement, and operation of parts are as hereinafter described, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, in Which Figure 1 is a side view of the frame and lock mechanism of a double-barrel gun embodying my invention. Fig. 2 is an irregular horizontal section of the lock mechanism. Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the two sears. Fig. 1 is a perspective view of the trigger, enlarged, together with the spring used therewith for holding it in the positions required for engaging the respective sears. Fig. 5 is an enlarged longitudinal section of a portion of one of the sears, showing its spring-support. Fig. 6 is a greatly-enlarged perspective view of the single trigger with'all the relative positions of its pivot and the sears illustrated diagrammatically. Fig. 7 is a perspective view of the trigger in position (relative to the sears) to fire the left barrel first. Fig. 8 is a perspective view of the entire lock, showing the same position of the trigger as in Fig. 7, a part of the case being broken away to show-the hammers set. Fig. 9 is a perspective view of the trigger in position it automatically assumes for firing the right barrel after the left barrel has been fired. Fig. 10 is a perspective view of the trigger when set to fire right barrel first. Fig. 11 is a perspective view of trigger after right barrel has and are set when the un is broken.

been fired and the trigger has been automatically adjusted to fire the left barrel.

The frame 1 of the gun (see Figs. 1 and 8) may have the ordinary construction of guns of the hammerless class, and a locking-bolt operated by a top snap 2 is provided as usual. The hammers 3 4: (see Figs. 2 and 8) are pivoted and arranged'in a well-known manner As indicated in several figures, (see especially Figs. 1, 2, and 3,) the left and right sears 5 6 correspond essentially in form and construction, being pivoted at 7 and their beveled front ends engaging the respective hammers 3 4. Each sear is provided with a spring-finger 8 which is rigidly attached and stands vertical, or nearly so, and engages a ham mer when the latter is set, so that the sear is thrown down into position to be tripped by i V the trigger and also engage and lock the hammer. The sears are thrown up and held normally elevated when the gun has been discharged by means of a-spring-support 9. (See especially Figs. 1, 3. and 5.) This consists of a pin adapted to slide in a bore or recess formed in each scar and having a reduced adapted to engage the shiftable trigger 13,

which is shown enlarged and detached in several figures. The thin elongated vertical shank 13 of the trigger is pivoted on a pin 16, (see Fig. 2,) which passes through a slot 14, (see Fig. 1,) having a shoulder 15, which abuts the pivot 16 and assists in holding the trigger in position for firing the right-hand barrel. Near its central portion the shank 13 of the trigger is provided with another slot, 17, (see Fig. 4,) whose lower side has two inclines and an intervening cone-shaped abutment 18. lock-frame 1, and its free front end 21 is bent laterally to enter the aforesaid slot 17 and slide on the inclines and over the abutment 18 when the trigger is shifted forward or back, as hereinafter described. The rear portion of A wire spring 19 is secured to theioo the trigger-shank is provided with an irregular openslot 22, (see Fig. 4,) the entrance to the same being inclined. The rear portion of the trigger is otherwise constructed, as shown,with shoulders and notches to adapt it toltlrip the scars successively or either one at W] The operation of the mechanism as awhole will now be described.

Referring first to the diagrammatic view Fig. 6, a 6 ad indicate the various positions occupied by the pivot 16 of the trigger while the latter is being operated. 13 is the lug or front finger-piece, which is manipulated in shifting the trigger to give the shooter the option of firing either barrel first. The cone or abutment 18 serves for the end 21 of trigger-spring 19 to rest against to hold or assist in holding the trigger in proper position for firing the first shot. When the spring rests on the front side, as at e, the left barrel will be fired first, and when the spring rests on the rear side, as at f, the right barrel will be fired first. 9 hi in Fig. 6 indicate the various positions occupied by the end 12 of the right sear 6, while jlc Z show the various positions of the left sear end 11. m and a show the shape of the sear ends and their normal relative positions to each other. When the right barrel is to be fired first, (see Figs. 6 and 10,) the triggerpivot will rest at c orin contact with shoulder 15, and the trigger-spring will be at f. Such contact or abutment of the shoulder 15 and pivot 16 assist the spring 19 in holding the trigger in position for firing the right barrel first. At this time the right sear-at z is just over the solid portion 22 of the trigger at the foot of the incline 23, resting close up in the angle formed by the two planes 22 23, while the left sear end 11 rests at the point k just over the notch 25 in the trigger which receives the left sear end 11 when the right sear is being pulled off by pressure on the trigger fingerpiece 13. The solid portion of the trigger is at such time brought in contact with the right sear end 12 and by raising it discharges the gun. When the pressure on the blade 13 is released, the trigger is brought back to its former position by the action of the triggerspring 19, and the upright spring-finger 8 of the right sear 6 now being freed from contact with the hammer 4 the sear is now under the control of the weaker spring-actuated plug 9, which elevates the rear end of said right sear at z', and rising the sear end 12 passes up through the space between the two inclined parallel surfaces 23 24, (which is just sufficiently large to admit of its free passage,) and in rising the sear end pressing against the inclined surface 2 1 causes the trigger to slide forward on its bearing 26 and pivot at until the pivot rests at (Z. By this time the sear end has reached the portion 27 of the trigger which is an arc eccentric to the pivot of the trigger. The scar now serves to hold the trigger in this position while the second pull is being made. The trigger having been forced forward, as described, is now in position to fire the left barrel by a second pull being applied as before by reason of the fact that the solid portion 28 of the trigger having been carried under the left sear end 11 raises it and discharges the left barrel of the gun. When the pressure upon the finger-piece 13 is released, the trigger returns to its position, both sears now being elevated by the action of the spring-plug 9, (in both sears alike.) When the gun is again set for firing by opening the breech in the usual way, the hammers are forced against the spring-fingers 8, which in turn forces the sears down, depressing the spring-plugs 9 and setting the hammers for firing. At the same time the right sear end 12 is forced down through the space between the two planes 23 24 and pressing against the plane 23 forces the trigger back to the position proper for firing the right barrel first.

Having just described how the two barrels are fired alternately when the right barrel is fired first, I will now explain the operation of shifting the trigger and firing the barrels alternately when the left barrel is fired first. To shift the trigger so that it will fire the left barrel first, place a finger upon the front of part 13 and press back, when the shoulder of slot 1 1 will be raised over the trigger-pivot at c and the trigger will slide back on its hearing 26 (the pressure raising the front end clear of the pivot) until the eccentric portion 27 of the trigger comes in contact with.the left sear end 11, which being broader or thicker than theright sear end reaches entirely across the space or inclined slot between the two planes 23 24 and rests upon the solid portion 29 of the trigger, while the right sear end now rests just over the notch at 30 cut away to receive it. While the left sear 11 is being pulled off by pressure on the finger-piece 13, the pivot will rest at b and the trigger-spring end 21 will rest at e, and it is plain to be seen that a pull upon the finger-piece 13 will now raise the left sear end 11 and fire the left barrel, while the right sear 12 sinks into the said notch 30 and is not moved. The left sear-lug 11 is held firmly against the curved surface 27 until the pressure is removed, when the trigger returns to its position and the sear end rises, as before described, above said curved surface 27 to the cut-away portion 31, when the trigger, as the pressure is being released from the blade 13", is inclined so that the pressure of the spring which bears upon the slightlyinclined forward plane a forces the trigger back, so that the solid portion at 30 of the same will rest just under the right sear end 12, so that another pull will raise the latter and fire the right barrel. Upon again setting the hammers for firing the sear ends are forced down, as before described, and the left sear-lug 11 is brought in contact with the cut- IIO away surface 31 and forces the trigger for- I ward to the proper position for firing the left barrel first. To shift the trigger so it will fire the right barrel first, press forward upon the rear shoulder of lug 13", when the trigger will slide forward until it is in proper position for the purpose, as has already been described. Thus the two barrels can be fired successively, as shown, from either position of shift by merely pulling the trigger, releasing it, and pulling it again as slowly or quickly as may be desired.

Vhen a gun is fired, there is always an involuntary pull upon the trigger caused by the counter-recoil of the gun, over which the shooter has no control, and thus both barrels will be discharged in succession and so very rapidly as to sound as one report lengthened out a little unless some provision is'made to render this second or involuntary pull inoperative. Now in this mechanism, the sears being long and having heavy ends to engage the trigger and having after pressure has been released, to rise a considerable distance by the power of the small spring-actuated plugs 9, which by reason of their beingheavily laden, moves the sear ends up quite slowly,

and they must attain their full height before the trigger can engage the second sear end or lugs, so that there is suffieient time utilized in these movements for the involuntary pull to have been made, and the shooter regains control of his gun before the second sear end can be touched or engaged by the trigger. Thus the involuntary pull is rendered inoperative and cannot possibly affect the second barrel. It will be seen that the planes 6 fform a low pyramid with the cone or abutment 18 upon its apex, and these inclines are to facilitate the action of spring 19 in assisting to force the trigger forward to engage the left sear after the right has been pulled off or to facilitate the action of the spring in forcing the'trigger back to engage the right sear after the left has been pulled off.

Having now described all thedifferent positions the trigger will occupy while in operation, I will proceed to describe a similar figure illustrating each different operation of the trigger. Thus Figs. 7 and 8 show the trigger 13 in position to fire the left barrel first by pressure on the trigger finger-piece 13 After the left barrel has been fired the left sear end 11 rises up, as has been shown, until it gets above the are 27 This is after the pressure has been removed or rather slackened sufiiciently for the trigger-spring 19 to force the trigger to follow the finger as it is releasing the pressure, the trigger under control of its spring continuing in contact with the operators finger until it has reached its limit of downward movement and at the same time the sear end 11 is rising until it reaches the cut-away portion 31 of the trigger, when by reason of the fact that the finger is still in contact with the backward-sloping trigger finger-piece 13 and the spring end 21 is pressing upon an inclined surface of the trigger at e the spring naturally slides down on this surface and the trigger naturally slides back away from the operators finger,since the sear end 11 having risen high enough to be opposed to the cut-away portion 31 of the trigger no longer ofiers any resistance to, this backward movement. Thus the trigger is forced back until I the shoulder 30 of the trigger has come just under the right sear end 12, when the trigger is ready to fire the right barrel, (these movements having been automatically performed so quickly that it is impossible to remove the finger too quickly for its acc0mplishment,) when the trigger sliding back places itself in position to fire the right barrel, as shown by Fig. 9, so that a second pull, no matter how quickly delivered, will fire the right barrel. While the sear end 11 is rising up along the face of the arc 27, as has been described, the involuntary pull is made, which is a movement so very rapid that it is over before the sear end has gained the cut-away portion of the trigger. Now when a second pull is made and the right barrel fired the right sear end 12 cannot rise, as it is held firmly in the trigger. When the gun is again set for firing, the trigger is brought back to position for firing the left barrel first by the sear end 11 coming in contact with the inclined cut-away portion 31 of the trigger and forcing the latter forward. In further elucidation of the operation here referred to I will state that the curve 27 which is parallel to thearc described by the sear-lugs 11 12, serves when the left barrel is fi-red first to prevent the trigger coming back until the sear-lug has passed above it, and the involuntary pull is given 'before this can occur, so that the trigger cannot reach the right sear-lug until the latter has passed above the said are or curve 27, when the cut-away portion 31 allows it to engage the right sear-lug 12. To shift the trigger so as to fire the right barrel first, press forwardupon the lug 13 and the trigger will move forward, forcing the spring 21 over the cone or abutment 18, and the pivot 16 will also be changed to the other side or rear of shoulder and rest at 0, as shown in Fig. 10, with the right sear 12 on the shoulder 22 of trigger ready to be fired first, while the left sear 11 is over the notch 25, formed to receive. it when the right sear is tripped. Now a pressure upon the trigger finger-piece 13 will raise the right scar and fire the right barrel without touching the left sear, whose lug 11 sinks into the notch 25, as shown. After the right barrel has been fired and the pressure released from the trigger the latter returns to its limit of downward sweep by the force of the spring 19, which resting upon an inclined surface and said inrel was to be fired first has a decided tendency to force the trigger forward, while the right sear end 12 rises, as has been shown, and passes up between the two inclined surfaces 23 24, and in rising the sear end 12 is brought in contact with the inclined surface 24, and as the course of the sear end in rising is not in line with said space or surface and the small sear-spring 9 being strong enough to force the sear up in spite of the little resistance offered by the trigger the trigger is naturally forced forward, the spring 19 pressing upon the inclined surface, assisting the movement of the trigger. When the sear end 12 reaches the are 27, it no longer forces the trigger forward, since the said are having for its center the sear-pivot of course lies parallel with the course of the sear end in its upward movement. Here the sear rests and serves as a stay to hold the trigger forward in its position while the left barrel is being pulled off, as shown in Fig. 11, the shoulder 28 having been carried under the left sear 11, when a second pull will fire it, as shown. As the right sear is rising after being pulled off and pressure upon the trigger being released the involuntary pull comes on so quickly that the sear end 12 is caught before it can possibly attain the arc, and thus forced back down the incline to its former position. After this involuntary pull is over the sear rises so quickly that it is impossible to catch it by any intentional pull, so that it automatically adjusts itself to fire the left barrel quick enough for any intentional pull, but too slow to be ready for the involuntary pull, which is a movement too quick for conception by the human mind. It will thus be understood that the weak spring-supports 9 practically constitute, with their connections, a timing mechanism, since the trigger cannot come in contact with the second sear after the first has been tripped until the first sear has risen to he are or cut-away portion of the trigger, and as the portions of the sears in rear of their pivots are long and heavy sufficient time is consumed by the relatively weak spring-supports in overcoming the' inertia of the sears and raising them to the required distance to allow the involuntary pull to be made and the shooter to regain control of the gun.

I do not limit the application of the lock mechanism to a double-barreled gun, although that will be its chief adaptation and use, but may use it where three barrels are employed.

- Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In a gun-lock of the class indicated, the combination, with the frame, two hammers, and their sears, having lugs projecting in- Ward, of a trigger which is adapted to slide end wise in the frame, and provided with shoulders for engaging said lugs separately, a

spring having asliding engagement with said trigger and the latter having separated shoulders with which the spring slidably engages to hold the trigger in either of the two positions required for tripping the two sears, substantially as described.

2. In a gun-lock of the class indicated, the combination, with the frame, two hammers, and their sears having lugs projecting inward, of a trigger adapted to slide endwise in the frame and formed with shoulders for engaging said lugs separately, also with a slot whose lower side is provided with a beveled abutment, and a spring whose free end engages and slides on said abutment for the purpose of holding the trigger in either of the two positions required for tripping the respective sears, substantially as described.

3. In a gun-lock of the class indicated, the combination, with the frame, two hammers and their sears having inwardly-projecting lugs, of the slidable trigger having a slot provided with a beveled abutment, a spring whose free end engages and slides over said abutment, the front end of the trigger having a lengthwise slot provided with a central shoulder, and the pivot for said trigger passing through said slot and adapted to engage the shoulder, the latter serving, when in contact with the pivot, to assist the spring in holding the trigger in position for firing the right barrel first, substantially as described.

4. In a gun-lock of the class indicated, the combination with the frame, two hammers, and two sears having lugs projecting inward at their rear ends, of the slidable trigger having a rear curved or are portion 27, which the sear-lugs engage and ride over, thus forcing the trigger forward, substantially as described.

5. In a gun-lock of the class indicated, the combination with the frame, two hammers and'the'ir sears having lugs projecting inward and one being forward of the other, of the trigger which is slidable endwise and provided with adjacent shoulders for engaging the respective lugs and with notches arranged respectively in front and rear of the said lugs for affording play for either lug, when the other is engaged with a shoulder of the trigger, substantially as described.

6. The combination with the frame, two hammers, and their sears having at their rear ends inwardly-projecting lugs, one of which lies in front of the other, of the. trigger mounted to slide endwise and formed with an inclined portion with which the left sear-lug 11 rides in contact when the sears are thrown down, in the operation of setting the hammers whereby the trigger is slid rearward into engaging position, substantially as described.

7. The combination with the frame, the two hammers and their sears having inwardlyprojecting lugs, one of which lies in front of the other, of the slidable trigger having an incline adapted to engage the lug of one sear when the latter is thrown down, whereby the trigger is moved rearward, the trigger-shank being cutaway in rear of such incline to allow space for the lug of the other sear, substantially as described.

8. The combination, with the lock-frame, the two hammers, and their sears having lugs as described, of a slidable trigger having inclines with which the lugs coact for moving the trigger into the required position for engaging one of the. lugs, and a spring which presses upon the trigger and tends to hold it by friction in the firing position, substantially as described.

9. The combination, with the lock-frame, the hammers, and sears havinglugs at their rear ends, of the trigger which is longitudinally movable and has its rear upper portion formed as an arc to engage the sear-lugs when the trigger is pulled, and shoulders arranged for contact with the sear lugs, and a spring pressing upon the trigger and serving to force it into and hold it in operative position as described.

10. The combination, with the lock-frame, the hammers, and sears provided with lugs projecting inward, of the trigger adapted to slide lengthwise and provided with a double incline and cone, a slot through which the pivot passes, a rear arc portion, and shoulders adapted to engage the sear-lugs, and a spring whose free end rests and slides on the inclines of the trigger-cone, as shown and described.

11. The combination with the lock-frame, hammers and sears having lugs, of the slidable trigger having two alined shoulderseach adapted to engage the lug of the left sear for firing the left barrel, a notch located between said shoulders for receiving saidlug and another notch in front of the shoulders for receiving the lug of the right sear When the left is being tripped, and means for holding the trigger in operative position for firing, substantially as shown and described.

12. The combination, with the lock-frame,

the hammers and scars having lugs arranged one in rear of the other, of the slidable trigger, having shoulders and an arc portion for engaging said lugs, the are being eccentric to the pivot of the trigger, the latter being also provided with notches arranged as described for receiving a sear-lug when the other sear is tripped, and a spring adapted to act upon the trigger for forcing and holding it in position for firing either barrel singly or both barrels successively, substantially as described.

13. The combination, with the frame, of the pivoted sears, the hammers, means coacting with the hammers for throwing or setting the sears when the hammers are cooked, slidable trigger adapted to engage both sears separately, and a spring-support for the scars, the

same being arranged in rear of their pivots, and thus adapted to hold the sears normally elevated, substantially as described.

14:. The combination with the lock-frame, the hammers, and two sears pivoted and adapted to engage the latter, and provided at their rear ends with inwardly-projectinglugs,

* of a slidable trigger adapted to engage either lug according to its position, and the springsupport for the sears which holds them normally elevated, the same consisting of a springpressed pin connected with the sears directly in rear of their pivots, the sears having spring-arms that engage the hammers and are put under tension when the hammers are cooked and are relieved when the hammers fall, substantially as described.

15. The combination with the lock-frame and hammers of pivoted sears elongated in rear of their pivots and having spring-arms which come in contact with and are put under tension by the hammers when the latter are cocked, weak spring-supports for the sears arranged in rear of their pivots, the slidable trigger adapted to engage the Weighted rear ends of the sears, all arranged as described, whereby a sear in rising after the first shot has been fired, utilizes sufficient time to allow the involuntary pull to be made before the sear can rise to its highest position and the trigger can engage the other sear, substantially as described.

16. The combination with the lock-frame and hammers, of pivoted sears adapted to engage the hammers and elongated in rear of their pivots, springs for elevating the scars when released, the slidable trigger having an arc-shaped rear portion with which a sear-lug after actuation of the sear to release its hammer. is adapted to engage, so that in rising the sear is temporarily arrested as and for the purpose specified.

17. The combination, with a suitable lockframe and hammers arranged therein, of pivoted sears having relatively heavy portions or arms extended in rear of their pivots and provided with spring-arms which come in'contact with and are put under tension by the hammers when the latter are cocked, relatively weak springs for raising such weighted portions of the sears when the latter are disengaged from the hammers, and the slidable trig er having its rear upper portion formed IIC with a convexity which the sears engage, the

trigger .and thus serves to slide the latter, as shown and described.

19. The combination, with a lock-frame and pivoted hammers and sears, of a trigger which is slidable toward and from the hammers and provided in its rear upper portion with the rear shoulder 22 and the front shoulder for engaging and tripping the right sear when the trigger is adjusted in its forward position and rearward position, respectively, said shoulders being separated by an intervening notch or depression, substantially as described.

20. The combination, with a lock-frame and pivoted hammers and sears having lateral lugs, of the trigger which is slidable toward and from the hammers and provided in the rear upper portion with shoulders located one forward of the other for engaging the sears, and a notch or depression located adjacent to one of such shoulders for receiving one of the sear-lugs when the other is below and in contact with one of the shoulders for tripping the other sear, as shown and described.

21. The combination, with a lock-frame and pivoted hammers and sears, of the trigger which is slidable toward and from the hammers and provided in its rear upper portion with two front and two rear shoulders for engaging each of the respective sears when the trigger is duly adjusted in front or rear position whereby either barrel 'may be fired first and the other subsequently, substantially as described. s

22. The combination, with the lock-frame, and a pivoted hammer, of a sear pivoted and adapted to engage the hammer in the usual way, and provided with a vertical spring projection adapted to engage the hammer when set, and thus throw the sear into locking engagement with the latter, substantially as described.

23. The combination with the lock-frame,

JAMES CAIN BROYLES.

Witnesses:

C. O. WALTER, CALVIN Jones. 

